For the second consecutive day, today, Thursday, with the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) having issued warnings in Mallorca and Menorca for heavy rain and storms, there are more delays at Palma airport. According to information from airport authority AENA, Palma is reporting 120 delayed flights between departures and arrivals. 43 of them on departures and 55 on arrivals. Two flights arriving from Paris were also cancelled.
Menorca airport has four cancelled flights between departures and arrivals, all to Barcelona.
Thursday’s delays are in addition to Wednesday’s, which were widespread from midday onwards. Palma’s Son Sant Joan airport accumulated up to 64 delayed flights and two cancellations after 4.30 p.m.
The air traffic control body Enaire has indicated on social media that adverse weather conditions are still forecast for the eastern region on Thursday, which means that operations in Barcelona and Palma may be affected as the day progresses. Barcalona has been the worst hit. Adverse weather conditions have caused flight cancellations and delays of between 60 and 90 minutes this morning at Barcelona-El Prat airport, which is operating at 60% of its capacity, according to industry sources.
Catalonia, along with the Balearics and the Valencian Community, has activated an orange alert (significant risk) on Thursday due to storms that could bring hail and very strong gusts of wind, as well as rainfall of up to 40 litres per square metre in one hour, according to forecasts by the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet).
The heaviest rainfall is expected in the pre-coastal and coastal areas of Barcelona, as well as in the pre-coastal and southern coastal areas of Girona. This situation has led several airlines operating at El Prat airport to anticipate problems with preventive flight cancellations.
Some sources in the airport sector estimate that up to thirty flights have been cancelled, in the middle of the summer season at the airport. The airlines have offered affected customers the option of taking other flights or getting a refund for their tickets.